"Strategic autonomy" has become a defining policy goal for the European Union. From energy and artificial intelligence to semiconductors and defence — the ambition is clear: to make Europe more self-reliant, more resilient, and less vulnerable to external disruption. But autonomy without capital is only a declaration. To turn ambition into capability, Europe needs a foundational element: strategic capital — long-term, structured, and mission-aligned.
A Capital Gap That Undermines Sovereignty
Despite repeated calls for technological and economic independence, Europe continues to face a structural investment gap that threatens to undercut its own strategic agenda.
The numbers are telling:
Europe represents just 15% of global growth equity capital, while the U.S. commands over 65% (Source: Financial Times, 2023)
Over 60% of late-stage European startups seek U.S. funding when scaling globally — often relocating their IP and leadership in the process (Source: Atomico, State of European Tech, 2023)
Deep tech sectors in Europe remain chronically underfunded, despite exceptional research and engineering talent (Source: Dealroom, European Deep Tech Report, 2023)
Meanwhile, the United States and China have tightly integrated their industrial, defence and capital policies — accelerating innovation through government-aligned funding, strategic procurement, and domestic market prioritisation. Europe is falling behind — not for lack of talent or vision, but for lack of investment vehicles that match its ambitions.
Strategic Capital Is More Than Just Capital
To build real sovereignty, Europe needs capital that understands the new reality: we are no longer in a world of linear growth and predictable trade flows. We are in an age of fragmentation, decoupling and competition for control of strategic infrastructure and technologies.
What must capital now understand?
That supply chain resilience goes far beyond semiconductors — it includes food systems, energy security, data infrastructure and digital identity
That dual-use and “triple-use” technologies are critical to both civilian and national strategic interests
That owning, not licensing, critical infrastructure is essential to sovereignty
This requires patient, adaptive, and proactive capital. It cannot be delivered by opportunistic venture flows or short-term PE rotations. It requires a new class of investor — one that understands resilience as an investment strategy.
Mercaton Investment Group: Investing Where Autonomy Begins
At Mercaton Investment Group, we don’t invest in declarations or headlines. We invest in the infrastructure, platforms and technologies that give Europe real leverage — especially in environments shaped by disruption, decentralisation, and geopolitical pressure.
Through our Peacemaker Fund, we finance projects that:
Build state capacity and local operational independence
Reduce systemic exposure to political and supply chain risk
Enable countries and regions to absorb shocks before they escalate
We focus on digital logistics, sovereign infrastructure, defence-adjacent technologies, and adaptive platforms that scale resilience — not just returns.
From Defensive Strategy to Growth Strategy
Resilience is no longer a defensive posture. It is the precondition for sustainable growth, strategic positioning, and competitive advantage in the decade ahead.
As trade wars intensify, supply chains fracture, and technology becomes geopolitical, the ability to withstand and adapt to pressure is no longer optional — it is the core of the next investment cycle.
This is especially true in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) — a region with industrial capacity, talent density, EU regulatory alignment, and political agility. With the right capital, it can become a platform for scalable, sovereign innovation — not just a peripheral marketplace.
A New European Paradigm
Strategic autonomy is a powerful idea — but without strategic capital, it will remain just that: an idea. Europe must move beyond declarations and invest in its own capabilities — not through protectionism, but through structured, future-proof allocation.
At Mercaton, we believe capital can do more than chase growth. It can create the conditions for stability, sovereignty, and scale.
Strategic capital is no longer optional. It is foundational.
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